Dog rescued in Texas still missing from SW Side

A dog rescued in Texas and bound for a home in Elkhorn, Wis. goes missing near Midway Airport Friday afternoon.

A dog rescued in Texas and bound for a home in Elkhorn, Wis. goes missing near Midway Airport Friday afternoon.

Staff report

A dog rescued in Texas and bound for a home in Elkhorn, Wis. disappeared after it slipped out of its harness near Midway Airport Friday and was still missing this afternoon , according to volunteers with animal rescue groups.

“I am just beside myself,” Larissa Gavin, who found Madison and arranged a flight in a private jet to Midway. "I am just hoping for a miracle at this point.”

Gavin had been driving around a neighborhood in Houston on Jan. 5 with the founder of a rescue group, stopping to offer food to dogs and talking to people about bringing their dogs in during the cold weather, when they happened upon three unleashed puppies, Gavin said in an email.

The two found the puppies' mother, Madison, nearby, and three days later were able to take custody of the dogs and take them to to a veterinarian for examination. One of the puppies had a broken femur, and Madison showed signs of having been injured, Gavin said.

After they sent out word about the dogs, a home was found for Madison in Wisconsin, while her puppies were placed with a puppy rescue shelter in Houston, Gavin said.

Madison arrived at Midway Friday and was picked up by a Chicago paramedic who volunteers for a Doberman rescue group and was going to drive the dog to Wisconsin, Gavin said. Madison somehow slipped out of her harness near 53rd Street and Central Avenue, Gavin said.

She described Madison as scared and nervous, and asked anyone who sees her to call Illinois Doberman Rescue at 847-277-1082. She may still be wearing a beaded necklace she was wearing when she disappeared.

"She has not been spotted since 2:00," said Pam Abare, president of Illinois Doberman Rescue. "We are very worried."

As of 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the dog had not been spotted again. A $1000 reward has been offered for finding Madison.